Við skilum nytjahlutnum inn.

we

Breakdown of Við skilum nytjahlutnum inn.

• nytjahluturinn: the reusable item
• skila inn: to drop off

Questions & Answers about Við skilum nytjahlutnum inn.

What is skilum? Is it the verb skila?

Yes. Skilum is the 1st person plural present form of skila.

• að skila = to return, hand in, deliver back
• við skilum = we return / we hand in

The ending -um is a very common ending for we in the present tense.

So:

• ég skila = I return
• þú skilar = you return
• við skilum = we return

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Why does nytjahlutnum end in -num?

Because it is in the dative singular definite form.

The basic noun is nytjahlutur. In this sentence, it appears as nytjahlutnum because:

1. skila normally takes its thing-object in the dative
2. the noun is definite: the useful object / the utility item

So -num here signals something like to/with/in the dative + the.

A good way to think of it is:

• nytjahlutur = a useful object / utility item
• nytjahlutnum = the useful object / the utility item, in the dative form

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How am I supposed to know that skila takes the dative?